Central Hypoventilation: A Case Study of Issues Associated with Travel Medicine and Respiratory Infection.

Kam Lun Hon,Alexander K C Leung,Albert M C Li,Daniel K K Ng

doi:10.1155/2015/647139

Abstract

Aim. We presented the case of a child with central hypoventilation syndrome (CHS) to highlight issues that need to be considered in planning long-haul flight and problems that may arise during the flight. Case. The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) received a child with central hypoventilation syndrome (Ondine's curse) on nocturnal ventilatory support who travelled to Hong Kong on a make-a-wish journey. He was diagnosed with central hypoventilation and had been well managed in Canada. During a long-haul aviation travel, he developed respiratory symptoms and desaturations. The child arrived in Hong Kong and his respiratory symptoms persisted. He was taken to a PICU for management. The child remained well and investigations revealed no pathogen to account for his respiratory infection. He went on with his make-a-wish journey. Conclusions. Various issues of travel medicine such as equipment, airline arrangement, in-flight ventilatory support, travel insurance, and respiratory infection are explored and discussed. This case illustrates that long-haul air travel is possible for children with respiratory compromise if anticipatory preparation is timely arranged.

Highlights

Travel medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention and management of health problems of international travelers [1,2,3,4]
We presented the case of a child with central hypoventilation syndrome (CHS) to highlight issues that need to be considered in planning long-haul flight and problems that may arise during the flight
In the summer of 2013, the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a hospital in Hong Kong received an 8-year-old boy with central hypoventilation with respiratory infection and decompensation en route to Hong Kong on a make-a-wish campaign

Summary

Case Report

Central Hypoventilation: A Case Study of Issues Associated with Travel Medicine and Respiratory Infection. The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) received a child with central hypoventilation syndrome (Ondine’s curse) on nocturnal ventilatory support who travelled to Hong Kong on a make-a-wish journey. He was diagnosed with central hypoventilation and had been well managed in Canada. Various issues of travel medicine such as equipment, airline arrangement, in-flight ventilatory support, travel insurance, and respiratory infection are explored and discussed. This case illustrates that long-haul air travel is possible for children with respiratory compromise if anticipatory preparation is timely arranged

Introduction

Findings

Discussion